Tuesday, June 2, 2015

MALAYSIA:::MTUC is concerned about refugees and is against all forms of slavery and forced labour

Media
Statement

Malaysian Trade Union
Congress (MTUC) is shocked at the discovery of about 139 graves, and signs of
torture, in more than two dozen squalid camps in Northern Malaysia suspected to
have been used by gangs involved in human trafficking of migrants across the
border from Thailand.

MTUC is against all
forms of human trafficking which includes exploitation of workers. MTUC is
against slavery and forced labour.

MTUC calls on the
Malaysian government to immediately investigate, and determine whether these
were really human trafficking camps, and also whether the deaths have been
brought about by torture and murder. If so, then immediate action must be taken
to bring the said perpetrators to justice.

There is also the
possibility that some of these ‘camps’ were really housing used by undocumented
migrant workers, who always worry about the possibility of arrest, detention,
imprisonment, whipping and deportation. There are estimated that at present
there are at least 2 million undocumented migrants in Malaysia – most of them
are workers.

MTUC has always taken
the position that all workers, local and migrant should be treated equally. Of
late, burden on migrant workers have increased, amongst others, from the
transfer of the obligation of paying levy from employer to the migrant worker,
of increasing cost of access to healthcare in public hospitals, the delaying of
migrant workers the entitlement of minimum wages when their fellow local worker
at the same workplace already enjoyed it. All these have an impact on worker
solidarity and trade unions. It also drives some documented workers to opt to
become undocumented workers, and others just to enter Malaysia as undocumented
workers. MTUC hopes that the Malaysian governments
reviews its policy and ensure equal treatment of workers.

Without the about 2
million documented migrant workers in the trade union movement, it makes unions
weak. Commonality of the worker reality is an important factor that brings
workers together as trade unions to struggle for their rights.

MTUC is also concerned
about the welfare and the well-being of thousands of refugee boat people, many
of whom are fleeing persecution in their homeland. Malaysia should be humane
and show care and concern for wellbeing and welfare, and not just take the
position of shutting the doors of all these persons that come to Malaysia
seeking sanctuary. It is not right to risk the lives of men, women and children
in open seas, and it is also wrong to send back asylum seekers and refugees
back to the very country they fled. It may be time for Malaysia to enact a law
on how to deal with asylum seekers and refugees in Malaysia.

MTUC, like the International
Labour Organisation (ILO), is for the
promotion of opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive
work, in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity. MTUC is
against all forms of ‘slavery’, forced or bonded labour, and exploitation of
workers.